Finalists revealed for the 2025 GCMA Awards

15 September 2025

The winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner during the Golf Club Management Conference & Exhibition in November.

The nominees have been revealed for the 2025 GCMA Awards, shining a light on the Golf Club Managers and teams whose hard work and leadership continue to drive the industry forward.

With three finalists named in each category, this year’s awards once again celebrate the professionalism, innovation and dedication found across the GCMA community.

Every nominee has already been through a rigorous process. Following their nomination, candidates were invited to submit a detailed account of their work across six key performance areas. An expert judging panel assessed each submission before selecting the top three scorers in each category for the shortlist, with those finalists then taking part in a second-stage interview.

The categories being contested include Manager of the Year, Team of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Support Manager of the Year. The calibre of the shortlisted names underlines the breadth of talent across UK club management, from newcomers making their mark to experienced leaders setting the standard.

Two further accolades will be unveiled on the night itself. The Lifetime Achievement Award will honour a manager whose career has been defined by consistent excellence at club level, while the Outstanding Contribution Award will recognise an individual whose influence and service has extended across the wider golf industry.

The winners will be crowned at the Gala Dinner during the Golf Club Management Conference & Exhibition on 17th November 2025 at Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire. It promises to be a memorable evening of celebration, reflecting the vital role golf club managers and their teams play in the growth and success of the game.

The nominees for the 2025 GCMA Awards

Newcomer of the Year

Heather Moran – La Moye Golf Club
Fern Snailham – City of Newcastle Golf Club
Candi Watkins – Ponteland Golf Club

Support Manager of the Year

Claire Bainbridge – Fulford Golf Club
Owain Hoskins – Moseley Golf Club
Jess Redgate – Chesterfield Golf Club

Team of the Year

Newport Golf Club
Marton Meadows Golf Club
Long Ashton Golf Club

Manager of the Year

Rhys Morgan – Newport Golf Club
Ian McCairns – Hearsall Golf Club
Chloe Boissel-Marshall – Tidworth Garrison Golf Club

An unmissable event for the industry

The Golf Club Management Conference & Exhibition 2025 will bring together experts, thought leaders, and innovators to share practical insights, strategies, and solutions for the future of golf club management. Attendees can expect a dynamic programme of keynote speakers, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and an expanded exhibition showcasing the latest products and services in the sector.

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By GCMA Content Team

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John Steele

John Steele is a former professional athlete, sports coach, Olympic Leader and is the Executive Director of Sport at Loughborough University. He has been Chief Executive across a range of sectors. Drawing on leadership experience of nine different Olympic and Paralympic Games (including the amazing events at the Rio Games), John reflects on the lessons from this unique period in British sport and relays his fascinating views on creating high performing teams.

Indeed, inspired from PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, by the most successful performance ever for Team GB, he has a whole host of new business and leadership insights into how this was brilliant performance was achieved and how it can translate back into your organisation.

John moved into the corporate world, before he enjoyed an outstanding career as a professional rugby player achieving international honours. After his playing career, he turned his hand to coaching and achieved the highest accolade for a British club coach by winning the European Cup with Northampton Saints. He then became Executive Director on the Saints Board during a period of unprecedented growth, and served on the England Rugby Board during the successful world cup campaign of 2003. It was no surprise that John’s talents were called upon to drive through a change and modernisation programme as CEO of the Rugby Football Union – a challenge that became controversial and ended in his departure from the post after only a year, but with his dignity and professional pride intact.

Headhunted by UK Sport, John took up post as CEO the day before London won the 2012 Olympic bid – and this promising start was sustained as he embarked on developing the UK’s high performance sport system, which he led for a six-year period of unprecedented success through the Beijing and London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Post-London 2012, with the Olympic legacy in place and an obligation to continue inspiring a generation, John took up his post as Group Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust. He has also succeeded Steve Cram as Chairman of the English Institute of Sport, an organisation described as ‘the team behind the team’, which delivers a range of performance impacting solutions to over 40 Olympic and Paralympic sports and some non-Olympic sports.

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Dr Jo Salter MBE

Dr Jo Salter MBE is famed for becoming the first female fast jet pilot, having flown the Panavia Tornado ground attack aircraft during her services in the Royal Air Force. Joining the RAF aged 18, Jo has since taken Air Cadets into the skies as part of Air Experience Flights, become the Director of Global Transformative Leadership for PWC, and most recently become a Global Advisory of GenAI for PwC.

Jo has piloted flights in the Air Cadets Air Experience Flights and inspired countless budding armed service members to pioneer a male-dominated sector, having been the leader of an all-male squadron. Since leaving the military behind, Jo has established a strong business career working in roles such as Head of Technical Services for NetConnect, European Operations Manager for Automated Power Exchange and Managing Director of Saltin Ltd.

Having developed first-class expertise in leadership, analytical thinking and performing under pressure, Jo is now a highly sought-after public speaker to share stories from her time in the skies.

Jo is a passionate Trustee of The Royal Air Force Club and an Ambassador of the Global Angels charity, an organisation that gives communities around the world access to clean water, education, healthcare and encourages female and youth empowerment. Jo has also authored two books, titled Energy: 52 Ways to Fire Up Your Life and Become an Energy Angel and Energize: Spring Clean Your Mind and Body to Get Your Bounce Back Today and Every Day.

In recognition of her achievements throughout her career, Jo has also been named as one of the 50 Most Inspiring Women in the World by Harpers & Queen. She is now working as the Director of Global Transformation Leadership at PWC, after working in other roles such as Director of Risk Technology Strategy, Director Chief of Staff to Head of Technology & Investments and the Director of People & Organisations.

In 2022, Jo was invited personally by Tom Cruise to attend the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick. Most recently, Jo received an honorary doctorate of Arts from Bournemouth University.